Egg carton



Oct. 27, 1942. 5, w DEARBAUGH 2,299,966

EGG CARTON Filed Sept. 10, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l m n m m L K5 w w l 7 F 6 6 lb 1 :1: b Z

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ATTORNEYS Get. 27, 1942. w DEARBAUGH I 2,299,966

EGG CARTON Filed Sept. 10, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Gl'lber I W Dearba u lfi.

BY fiMWM ATTORNEYS.

0 1942- ca. w. DEARBAUGH 2,299,966

EGG CARTON Filed Sept. 10, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 i I I i/ 6 i .//z /7\ I I INVENTOR. 6; lbert W .Deorb auy ll- RMZLM WW ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES j PATENT OFFICE EGG CARTON Gilbert W. Dearbaugh, Adena, 0010. Application September 10, 1940, Serial No. 356,180

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements egg cartons.

There is a definite need for a one-piece egg which the finishedcarton' in the twelve-egg size may be set up. Cover locking tabs [3 and I4 are provided along one edge of the blank, and a carton that can be shipped or supplied to the I individual user in a flat folded condition to economize on space and which readily can be set up by the user by hand, without the aid of special tools or machines.

Furthermore, it is highly desirable in such an egg carton to provide a container that is strong provide a one-piece egg carton that may be shipped from the maker to the user in a flat folded condition, and that readily and quickly may be set up by the user, without the aid of special tools or machines of any kind.

Another object is to provide such a carton that is unusually strong and dependable in its various component parts, and which has novel and efficient means whereby the carton is securely locked in its set-up position.

A further object is to provide such a carton that is economical in the material required to make it.

Other objects and advantages reside in details of design and construction which will be more fully disclosed in the following description folded condition as it would be supplied by the maker to the user; and

Figure 6 is an end view of the folded cart-on illustrated in Figure 5.

In order to disclose an operative reduction to practice of the present invention, the example illustrated in the drawings will be described in some particularity. However, this disclosure is not to be construed to express or to imply any limitation to the invention, the, scope of which is, in reality, measured by the appended claim.

In the drawings, reference character l2 denotes a blank as a whole as it might be cut from cardboard or other suitable material and from series of scores 15,16, l1, l8, I9, 20, 2|, 22 and 23 are impressed in the blank to facilitate folding thereof into the condition illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

End walls 24 and 25 are partially cut from the blank, and intermediate dividing partitions 26, 21, 26, 29 and 30 are also partially cut from the blank. These wall and partition members 24 to 39 inclusive, areonly partially cut from the blank and each retains a hinge-like attachment to the main body of the blank so that it may be folded into its operative position as illustrated best in Figure 2.

The hinge connection for transverse end wall 24 is shown at 3| and 32, while the other end wall 25 is hinged at 33 and 34.

Intermediate cross wall member 26 is hinged at 35, 36, 31 and 38, and cross wall member 21 is hinged at 39, 40, 4| and 42.

Cross wall members 29 and 30 are connected to the main body of the blank for later relative hinge-like movement, in a manner similar to the corresponding connection of cross walls 26 and 21.

Cross wall member 26 is the central member and is connected with the main blank for later hinge-like movement relative thereto, at 43, 44, 45 and 46.

The end wall members 24 and 25 and the central transverse wall member 28 are each cut to provide foot-like supports as indicated at 41.

Each cross wall and partition member 24 to 30 inclusive, is provided with a V-shaped cut-out 48 and an adjacent triangular cut-out 49. Be-

- tween the respective V-shaped cut-outs 48 and their associated-respective triangular cut-outs 49 are formed locking tongues 50. The material from the V-shaped cut-outs 43 and the triangular cut-outs 49, together with the material from zone 5|, is completely cut away and removed from the blank.

A marginal strip-like area 52 extends across the end of the blank that is opposite the cover locking tongues l3 and i 4, and in the next step after the blank I2 is cut as illustrated in Figure 1, this strip-like area 52 is folded over and attached as by gluing to that portion of the blank I2 that is adjacent the score l6 and between scores l6 and II. The area between scores l6 and I! when the carton is finally set up, provides a hinged top closure 54.

Immediately after attaching the strip 52 to the side wall forming portion of the blank 53, the carton is in its fiat folded condition as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, in which condition it may advantageously be supplied from the maker to the user.

score 20.

I vantageously strengthening and reinforcing it against bending, crushing 'or other damage.

Side portions 53 and 55 are hinged about their respective scores I! and 23 to an upright position, whereupon end walls 24 and 25 which would now be spanning the central folded portion of the carton, may be folded downwardly about their hinge connections, whereupon the foot-like supports 41 may be placed in receiving slots 56 through which they extend, as best shown in Figure 3, to hold the rest of the carton off its supporting surface. Central partition member 28 is also similarly hinged downwardly into its operating position, with its foot-like supports 41 positioned through the centrally located slots 51 to further support the carton adjacent its center.

As the end walls 24 and 25 and the central partition, 28 are hinged downwardly into their operating positions, their tongues 50 will engage in certain of the cut-outs 58, the two rows of which, illustrated in Figure 1, will be brought adjacent and in angular relationship as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The portions of the blank beand 22, will 'be positioned in acute angular relationship, and the V-shaped cut-outs 4B of the end walls 24 and 25 and the central partition 28 will straddle this central ridge. The triangular cut-outs 49 will engage in cut-outs 59. Said cut-outs 59, when the blank is folded upwardly along scores 2i and I9, become a row of notches in the central longitudinal ridge structure of the carton.

It is manifest that intermediate cross partitions 26, 21, 29 and 30 are to be similarly hinged downwardly, and their respective locking tongues 50 engage in correspondingly positioned cut-outs B, and the triangular cut-outs 49 in said transverse partitions will engage in cut-outs or notches 59 The set-up position of the improved carton is well illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, and it will 4 be seen that downwardly-projecting foot members 4'! support the remaining portion of the carton above the surface upon which the carton rests. The central longitudinal ridge element, which may be said -to be composed of two adjacent folds straddled by transverse members. stiffens and reinforces the carton in a highly advantageous manner, so that in handling the cartons, they do not bend or break, and in stacking the cartons they do not crush.

The particular inventive concept whereby the knocked-down" carton may be folded flatly as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, is that the blank of material I2, Figure l, is folded flatly along scores 23 and I1, bringing the end portions: of the blank inwardly over the central portion, whereupon the end marginal area 52 is afiixed as by gluing, to that portion of the carton between scores l6 and I! which would be so folded as to overlap the end marginal area 52 as well illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

This arrangement is of particular importance as hereinbefore pointed out, because it enables the manufacturers of these cartons to furnish them in the flat folded condition illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, which is highly advantageous. and it enables'the individual'user to set up the carton as herein fully disclosed, quickly and conveniently by hand without the use of any tool or machine.

The finished carton is exceptionally strong, rugged and proof against bending, breaking or crushing, and it has been found to hold eg s for transportation to market in an unusually safe and dependable manner.

It is manifest from this disclosure that after cartons of this kind have been used for shipping eggs and the eggs later removed therefrom, then the carton can be against flattened to its folded position, illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, by a reversal of the setting-up steps. Here again, the provision whereby this carton can be folded flatly is advantageous in facilitating the return and reuse of the carton.

The closure of the set-up carton is securely effected by means of tongues 13 and H on the hinge cover portion 54 of the carton, which are positioned and adapted to slide into locking position in notches 60 that are cut in transverse partition members 26 and 30, shown best in Figure 1. It will be manifest that when the carton is set up as illustrated in Figure 2, these notches 60 will be positioned adjacent the inner surface of the front wall 55 of the carton. The material of which the carton preferably is constructed. is flexible and resilient enough to permit the tongues l3 and I 4 to be flexed and inserted into the notches without tearing or damaging any portion of the carton, and these tongues I3 and H can be as readily disengaged for opening the carton, when desired.

Obviously, if it is desired to provide a carton to hold a half dozen eggs or any number of eggs other than twelve, then the same structural 'features and principles herein disclosed, may be used in providing a fewer number or a greater number of intermediate transverse partition members, the length of the carton being suitably coordinated with the number of transverse members.

The advance in the art is considered to be well defined in the following claim.

What I claim is:

As an article of manufacture, a one-piece folding egg carton comprising a bottom having an A-shaped central longitudinal rib within which is a folded longitudinal rib depending from the vertex of said A-shaped rib, sides integral with said bottom and folded upwardly therefrom. a

top integral with one of said sides and foldable thereon to connect with the opposite side to effect a closure of the carton, means on said top and said opposite side for locking the cover in closed position, a plurality of cross members connected with said side members and provided with central A-shaped cut-outs whereby they are adapted to fit over said A-shaped central rib there being notches spaced along the vertex of said central A-shaped longitudinal rib to receive and to hold the cross members, and inwardly projecting tongues on the cross members at the respective A-shaped cut-outs for engaging sides of said A- shaped longitudinal rib there being apertures in the sides of said engaged rib to receive the tongues.

GILBERT W. DEARBAUGH. 

